Posted by Newbie on 7/8/05 6:54pm
Msg #50666

Patriot act form

I am a new notary and am considering maybe becoming an NSA. I was able to find copies of several mortage packages on the web plus I have old copies of older mortgages I had. My question is in regards to a form that I found in one of the packages. It is titled customer Identification. It has boxes to check for Identification and a second form if needed. It has a place for the borrowers signature and one entitled signature settlement agent. Is this a space for the notary. because when I read the document it says that the person who is signing is the one who has seen the ID and the witness together. It also has some jargon about the Patriot Act compliance.

Reply by Liz on 7/8/05 7:14pm
Msg #50668

Yes, it is for you to sign. You can always line thru "settlement agent" and write in "signing agent". We have a client who uses this form in every package.

Reply by anon on 7/8/05 8:53pm
Msg #50677

When I saw this form the first time, I panicked. So I read it. The only common sense thing to do was to sign it as notayr. Amazing what you can learn by reading.

Reply by Anonymous on 7/9/05 10:35am
Msg #50747

Re: Patriot act form...OR

Or, you don't alter the document and you send the copies of the ID back WITH the package like you should have to do and they see the ID and being that they are the settlement agent, they sign. You are strictly a notary they are closing agent, settlement agent, etc.

jmo

Reply by PAW_Fl on 7/9/05 10:48am
Msg #50748

Re: Patriot act form...OR

>>> You are strictly a notary they are closing agent, settlement agent, etc. <<<

You are **not** _strictly_ a notary. When you are doing loan signings, you wear TWO hats, one being a notary public and acting in that official capacity whenever you are notarizing a signature. However, the rest of the time, you are acting as a _Signing Agent_. When completing the identification forms, unless the borrowers sign them and you notarize their signatures, you are acting strictly as a Signing Agent, they eyes of the closing agent. If you need to sign the identification document, you should annotate the "title" as Signing Agent and not as a notary public, as notaries typically cannot certify these types of documents. (This may be different in some states, so check your state regulations, statutes and procedures for the definitive answer.)

Other than that, I certainly agree that you do not alter documents unless directed to do so (and you should make copious notes about that), and you are not the settlement agent, closing agent, settlement officer, title officer, lender or broker.